Other Side of the Game

“This is a fresh and empowering perspective from Parris” – The Toronto Star

“Through this important exploration of gender and loyalty in the Black community, Parris highlights a whole host of issues crucial for all Canadians to confront and consider.” – NOW Magazine

“Parris is a strong writer with a unique and inspiring voice.” – Mooney on Theatre

“Other Side of the Game is an unbelievably good piece of theatre.” – Stratford Festival Reviews

“If wishes were kittens, Amanda Parris’s debut play, Other Side Of The Game, would still be a lion’s roar against Toronto’s treatment of the Black community.” – Caribbean Camera

Other Side of the Game exists at the intersection of an activist urgency that defined North America in the 70’s and the contemporary era’s raw and unapologetic Hip Hop generation. At the centre stands the women who in organizing communities, protecting loved one’s and battling institutions live(d) by a ride-or-die philosophy. These are women for whom freedom is inextricably connected to the people they love. Other Side of the Game is a research-informed theatre play that is largely inspired by the numerous interviews that have been conducted with individuals in Toronto and Halifax. The author acknowledges these individuals for sharing their stories and providing the foundation for the inspiration of this work.

Production History:

World premiere at Aki Studio Theatre, Co-produced by Cahoots Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company (2017)

Reading at Oakwood Library Theatre (2015)

Reading at the rock paper sistahz Festival (2014)

Reading at The Piece of Mine Festival (2013)

Development History:

Amanda was the 2016 Playwright-in-Residence at Cahoots Theatre and was a participant for 2 years of Cahoots Theatre’s Hot House Playwrights Program